Lietuva in brief - 2008-04-09

  • 2008-04-09
Cambridge University professor Robert Rotorn has published a report on labor migration from Eastern Europe, including the Baltics, and its impact on the domestic employment situation in Britain. According to the paper, a large influx of guest workers from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and other countries caused an increase in the unemployment rate among Brits. This statistic contradicts official statements from the British government, whose stance on the positive economic impact of the labor market liberalization is well known. Professor Rotorn's conclusion is in sync with the report discussed in the Chamber of Lords last week. According to the parliamentary report, mass labor migration from Eastern Europe certainly has its negative side. The willingness of foreigners to take any jobs, no matter how unattractive they may be, often motivates the locals to stay unemployed longer than in the past.

Lietuvos Zinios has published the most recent alcoholic intoxication statistics for Lithuania. According to the paper, 16,000 people per year are hospitalized with acute alcohol intoxication. Several hundred of them die. Vilnius Toxicology Bureau chief Ramune Rutkauskaite said that the mortality rate caused by alcoholic intoxication in the country has stayed at the same level for several years. The average Lithuanian consumes about 11 litres of pure alcohol per year. This statistics include all groups of population, Rutkauskaite said. Among grown up men these figures are even higher. "Often we deal with patients whose alcohol level in the blood stream exceeds 7-8 promille, and save them. But medical literature defines the 4 promille level as a point of no return," Rutkauskaite said.

The Delfi news portal has reported that a rowdy night on the town brought a visiting member of parliament from Poland to a rude awakening. While partying at the Caplin cafe at midnight on April 3, the 44-year-old female MP  discovered that her purse had been stolen. In the purse, the Polish MP kept not only her driver's license, cell phone, two bank cards and personal ID card, but also the Polish parliament member card. The damage was assessed by the victim at 1400 litas. It remains to be seen whether the thief will unexpectedly surface in Warsaw at a parliamentary vote later this year.